


The Show Must Go On

by mizuchinchin



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Instead of street gangs, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, the boys are indie rock bands
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 04:21:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28504395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mizuchinchin/pseuds/mizuchinchin
Summary: Ash Lynx is a really talented composer and singer but his record label keeps on using his looks as his only selling point. He hates it. He needs to compose a hit soon but he's losing interest in music and he needs a muse to inspire him. Just his luck when he met a beautiful stranger named Eiji Okumura.
Relationships: Ash Lynx/Okumura Eiji
Comments: 9
Kudos: 40





	The Show Must Go On

The last twang of the guitar strings reverberated through the air and all music dies down.

Nothing followed for a few seconds. Not until a small pensive hum came from the small audience of three.

"So? How was it?" the one inquiring was Aslan Jade Callenreese, (professional name: Ash Lynx) leader of the band "Snows of Kilimanjaro". The panel consisted of his brother Griffin, his best friend Shorter Wong and his sister Nadia.

Nadia, who was a trained classical singer was more concerned about the arrangement so she held her comments for now --- trying to come up with a simple way to explain her point in layman's terms.

Griff whose only music background was watching occasional off-Broadway musicals, had his arms crossed in front of him, trying to come up with something other than 'it's good'.

Shorter, the only one who had any music composing and producing experience, was the first one to break the silence. "I dunno dude--- I mean, it's good, don't get me wrong---but like, I dunno---" he trails off, "It's the fourth time you composed a song about "being lost in the woods" and the--"

"So what? It's a good theme!" Ash cuts him off. One that Shorter just pouted at.

"Yeah, but fourth---and it's sounds like it's not even your own words."

"By "woods" did you mean---is that like, a symbolism for the city?"

It was Ash's turn to pout at his brother's comment, "Not really. I've been re-reading the Hatchet series"

"Oh" Griffin mumbles as he remembers seeing his brother read youth novels recently.

"You used the same chord progression. One, five, and then the perfect fourth. It's a classic but 'meh' for a hit." Nadia adds.

"Dude," Shorter comes closer to Ash and wraps his arm around his shoulder while using his free hand to shoo Nadia and Griff out of Ash's music room, "why are you trying so hard to come up with a generic pop crooner? Your indie rock and sad ballads. Now those---those was fire. I think you should stick to your unique genre."

Ash just shrugs his shoulder and slumps down to sit on an amplifier. "Mr. Golzine said that my selling point was my pretty boy image." Ash brought his hands up to lazily air quote "pretty boy."

Shorter was about to deny it and tell his friends 'that's not true' but it's hard to say that honestly when right on the floor in front of him was a stack of magazines with Ash featured on the front cover or the feature article. He knew that Ash is more than a pretty face. But his management and record label chose to use his face rather than his talent as a selling point.

That was Ash's biggest insecurity.

"He said that if we failed to compose a good song, he'll sack our record contract. Our last real hit was last year and --- ugh-- sure, our last three singles received good sales but the songs were trash pop songs ugh, shoot me in the mouth why don't cha." Ash knew that Shorter was aware of all the drama that's been happening in his music career recently but he can't help but keep on explaining, "I knew I should've said no on that first modeling gig."

Shorter pensively squeezed his chin and tried to lighten the mood with a joke, "I mean, your ass did look good in those leather pants."

Ash just rolled his eyes. "I just want to make music, man. I'm a musician for fuck's sake. Not an eyecandy!"

"I mean--" Shorter playfully pulls his sunglasses down and wiggles his eyebrows. His best friend replies with a groan and a palm aggressively swiping down Shorter's face. The taller man chuckled heartily before tightening his hold on his friend's shoulder, "what you need, _is a muse_."

Ash looked sideways to face Shorter to show him a scowly pout. It's been forever since he last had a serious relationship. Sure, he had one in middle school, then flirted back at people who flirted but nothing serious --- nothing with any substance --- definitely nothing to inspire him to write music.

Noticing the frown that was starting to form on his friend's eyes, Shorter gave him a small shoulder nudge, "hey, remember when we were in 8th grade and Griff bought you that second-hand guitar and we both went to Mr. Sergei's music class? And like, we was some bushy-tailed bright-eyed kids who was like, amazed at playing the guitar and makin' music? Remember how Nadia used to make fun of our rhymes and lyrics then but then we got better and better and we really loved it eventually? Maybe you should tap into that again man."

"I'm trying." Ash slumped even more, "I really am Shorter. But with all the changes and leashes that Dino keeps on pulling me back into the cotton candy box and I'm just not feeling it anymore. I don't even know if I love music as much as I did when I was a naïve kid."

With a final groan, he grabbed hold of Shorter's hand resting on his shoulder and pulled it up so he can escape from his friend's hold and leave the room.

"Where you goin mah'dude?" Shorter guffawed at the cold response.

Ash pivoted on one leg to face his friend while his hand reached over to the door knob of his dingy home-made studio, I'm coming over to Bone's place."

"To bone someone?"

"Wha--? No. To brainstorm another song."

"Mhmm," Shorter just hummed almost disapprovingly, "text me when you finally get inspired. I'll be here to wait for your next big hit."

"Yup" Ash popped the "p" to make it extra sarcastic knowing that it's going to be another long fruitless brainstorming session at the Japanese bar Bones works at.

\------------------------

"Sorry Ash, Jerry's not here right now. Can't give you booze." Bones apologetically leans over the bar counter to whisper to his friend, band-mate and regular patron. When he stood back up he grabbed a glass on a counter behind him and pretended to be busy wiping sake glasses.

"Nah s'fine. I need to be really sober anyway." Ash scratches is head as he tries to scribble something on the notebook in front of him.

"Any luck on the lyrics?"

Ash groans and pushes is notebook away. He doesn't have any sentence written down, just a couple of words floating around at random. "I dunno. I don't give a fucking clue why Dino thinks we can sell albums with these half-assed love songs."

"Oh I know," Bones said, one hand on his waist while the other one gestured like he was smoking a cigar, obviously mimicking their producer's words, "' _Our selling point here is your pretty boy image, capice?'"_ Like, what am I? Chopped liver?"

Ash just waved his glass of flavored sparking water around his face before taking a swig --- almost like it was alcoholic. "I tried getting Shorter and Nadia's opinion on the last song we wrote but they said it was cliched and okay."

"Honestly, yeah. I was kinda expecting that."

"I dunno man, I just --- he said that I need to get inspired. He said that I need a---"

Ash's sentence was cut mid-way as the bell hanging on the door chimed signaling a customer. "IRASSHAIMASEEEE!" Bones shamelessly called out loud as per the bar owner's orders.

Out of reflex, Ash turned around to see who dared come inside the bar and interrupt his ranting. " ---muse."

_Woah._

What entered inside the room was a beautiful dark-haired Asian man who seem about his age (maybe even younger) -- obviously a tourist because of the SLR camera hanging from his neck. It's not like the man looked like a model per se, but something in him just draws you in -- maybe it's his deep glittery eyes, the way he carried himself or the soft velvet voice that came from his lips, "excuse me."

Ash couldn't look away until the man came closer and closer, grabbing the bar stool 2 seats from him.

"I'm here to meet up with someone."

"By all means, make yourself at home." Bones almost giggles after seeing how Ash reacted to the handsome stranger, "anything I can get you? I'll have to ask for your ID though."

The stranger almost fumbled at looking for his ID on his person, he didn't have one on his wallet so he had to pull his Passport from his small body bag.

"Hmm, first time I've seen a Japanese Passport" Bones examined the ID, knowing that Ash was curious to see who the bartender was, "1999? So you're 21? Awesome!" He knew he wasn't supposed to release any info out loud from any of his customer's ID but he thought that maybe just this once, he could get away with it.

"Eiji, right? Am I saying it right?" he gave the ID back to the customer, "what do you want to drink?"

"Can I please get a highball?"

"Sure thing."

Ash hasn't said a word since Eiji entered the establishment. But he's watching and observing and listening. The guy's name is Eiji, he's Japanese, he's 21, and he ordered a highball.

"Waiting for your date?" he struck a conversation hoping to find out whether he's available to flirt at.

He chuckled. _Oh my fucking heart, his smile._

"No, I'm a--- I don't have one--- I'm waiting for my work associate."

"Well, do you mind if I sat next to you while you wait? It's just kinda boring right now," he pointed to the sparse population of the bar.

Eiji pulled the seat back to offer it to Ash, "sure thing."

"Some of my friends call me AJ, by the way." Ash reaches a hand over.

Eiji wasn't sure at first what the gesture was for but he eventually realized that it was a welcomed gesture to shake hands. He reached for the hand and firmly shook it, "Eiji. Eiji Okumura."

They talked for a good 45 minutes before Eiji's 'work associate', a slightly older Asian man entered the bar. That was Ash's cue to say goodbye to him and Bones. But not without asking for Eiji's number.

_Eiji Okumura._

Also, he's beautiful and perfect and Ash is smitten. It's not love, he knows that for a fact (not yet at least), but he is smitten. He's infatuated. He's reeled in, hook line and sinker. He has found his muse.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompted by my Tumblr post about Banana Fish Band AU  
> https://mizuchinchin.tumblr.com/post/638712759021912064/banana-fish-bandau


End file.
